Improvement in bee-hives



c. iw. BANKS.

improvement in Beel-Hives.

Fig. I.

YPatented Oct. 1, 1872,

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7 UNITED STATES -nected by` horizontal bars a a.

CHARLES W. BANKS, OF BALTIMORE,

MARYLAND, AsSIeNoE or ONE-HALEv 0E HIS EIGHT To JOHN E. RUSSELL, oE SAME PLAGE.

lMPRovEMENT |N BEE-HwEs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,730, dated October 1, 1872; antedatcd September 28, Y 1872.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BANKS, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Movable-Comb Bee- Hives; and Ido herebydeclare that the following iS a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making apart ot' this speciiicatiomand to the on. i This invention has relation to beehives; and consists in the construction of a malleable castfiron skeleton frame to support the movable comb-frames, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, A represents a malleable cast-iron frame, ofi a rectangular form, and standing upright within a wooden hive, B. The frame is composed of two side frames, con- `Each side frame is composed of two uprights, b, united at .their upper ends by means of a horizontal bar, e. About midway between the upper and 'lower ends of-the uprights of each side frame another horizontal bar, c', reaches from one upright to" the other. The bars a a connect the bars c c,as shown in the drawing. The frame A is cast with an inclined bottom plate, D, inclosed `between the corner supports or uprights b.

`The comb-frames may be of the ordinary form.

They are arranged as indicated in Fig.

' 2, the projecting ends of the bar d resting on the bars c, while the, sides of the frame depend, as shown. The flanges e constitute guides in sliding the comb-frames in and out.

The object of i my invention is to produce a more durable and convenient -frame for beehives than those made of wood and in general use, andY with less trouble and cost.

letters and igures of reference marked therecomb-frames from all`sides. The case B is `provided with a hinged lid, E,so that the hive may be partially opened without removing the case.

I propose constructing the "iron frame as vlight as may be consistent with strength and convenience. To produce suicient iirmness of parts without making the frame bulky or heavy I construct the uprights b and horizontal bars c c awith longitudinal strengthenin g-lianges e. tom board extend down so as to close the space underneath the bottom board, and thus prevent insects from lodging therein. -Flanges f may be used for attaching the frame to the bottom of the hive, as shown.

' A frame constructedvas herein described is easily and cheaply manufactured, and, inasmuch as wax will not adhere to lit as readily as to wood, it possesses the additional advantage of permitting the comb-frames to be removed with-little or no difficulty.

What I claim as my invention, and desirel `to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The cast-iron frame for bee-hives herein described, having uprights b, horizontal bars c c', central f transverse connections a a', and bottom plate D, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have h hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of twowitnesses. f

' OHAS. W: BANKS. l

Witnesses:

BENJN. EGGLESTON, OLIVER BURKE.

The skeleton access to the y The vertical sides of the bot- 

